My Unexpected Obsession: A Non-Anime Fan's Review of SAKAMOTO DAYS

Let me start by saying I am not an anime person. The fast pace, the over-the-top screaming, challenges in understanding subtitles—it's just never been my thing. So, when my wife pushed me to watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix, I was deeply sceptical. Although the story of a retired, overweight hitman who runs a convenience store? Sounds like fun. And now, after watching it, here I am, like a fan of it!

Sakamoto Days has somehow cracked the code for a sceptical viewer like me, delivering an action-comedy that is genuinely unlike anything else I’ve seen. The core concept is what got me: Taro Sakamoto, once the most feared, lean, mean hitman of the criminal underworld, is now a sweet, somewhat fat family man who has vowed never to kill again. He runs a small convenience store and is desperately trying to keep his violent past a secret from his loving wife and daughter, all while dodging the assassins trying to collect the massive bounty on his head.

The storyline is brilliant in its simplicity, but the execution is where the series shines. The story is about an interesting conflict that occurs between extreme domestic life and the ultimate life of violence. The humour is perfect for those who appreciate dark comedy. The comedic moments often hinge on the ridiculous contrast between the life-or-death fight Sakamoto is in and his obligation to, say, not drop a freshly brewed cup of coffee or make sure the store is clean. One moment you're watching a fast-paced fight in which ordinary convenience store items are used as lethal weapons—like staplers, rubber bands, and packets of chips—and the next, Sakamoto is frantically communicating with his young employee, Shin, in sign language to prevent his wife from realising he's just narrowly escaped being sniped by a remote-controlled drone. That dark, dry humour perfectly cuts the potential for the show to become purely violent, making it far more digestible for my palate.

And about violence, the action is spectacular. But the absolute best part, the one that makes every fight a total thrill, is Sakamoto himself. The show doesn't shy away from depicting him as the "big fat Sakamoto" of his retirement, but when he snaps into action, you see flashes of the legendary assassin he once was. The truly fascinating part is the muscular transformation that seems to happen in almost every major fight. It’s not a full-on, impossible body-switching; it’s more like the speed, focus, and muscle memory of the world’s greatest killer temporarily burns away the fat, revealing the lean, sharp, impossibly fast man underneath. That’s probably the visual shorthand for his intense focus, which is so effective and fun.

Sakamoto Days is the unexpected outlier that turned a total anime sceptic into a full-blown fan. It has heart, humour, and some of the most creative, mindblowing action sequences I’ve ever seen. If you're like me and usually skip the anime section, trust me on this one. Give this retired hitman Fatman, a chance. You'll be craving the next episode just as much as Sakamoto craves a pork bun.😁

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Note:

1. English is not my first language. So sometimes I use 'Google Translate'. Please don't think that anything I have written in this blog has been copied from somewhere or is AI-generated.

2. All the photos are from #Netflix and #Google.

3. All the other content images and words are mine unless otherwise stated.

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